Exchange Import Contacts from CSV and Add / Modify information

Question

Exchange Import Contacts from CSV and Add / Modify information

Stefanos Constantinou 61

Hello everyone,

I have about 5000 contacts to add in the Global Address List in the Exchange Server and I need to use the Exchange Management shell and use a CSV.

Of what I have noticed, I cannot define all CSV fields in the New-MailContact so they all are added so I need to just create the contacts and then add/modify the rest of the values.

I have the following Code:

Import-Csv C:\Stefanos\MyCSV.csv | %{New-MailContact -Name $_.Alias -FirstName $_.FirstName -LastName $_.LastName -Alias $_.Alias -ExternalEmailAddress $_.Email -OrganizationalUnit $_.OUpath}

the above successfully creates the contact but after that, I need to modify some contact information like change DisplayName, add MobilePhone, Phone (BusinessPhone), JobTitle etc

$ContactInfo = Import-Csv C:\Stefanos\DummyCSMCYGAL4CSMITA.csv
$contacts | ForEach {Set-Contact $_.Name -DisplayName $_.DisplayName -Phone $_.Phone -MobilePhone $_.MobilePhone -Pager $_.Pager -HomePhone $_.HomePhone -Company $_.Company -Title $_.Title -OtherTelephone $_.OtherTelephone -Department $_.Department}

the above command on the other hand, shows an error:

Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Identity' because it is null.

CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (:) [Set-Contact], ParameterBindingValidationException
FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationErrorNullNotAllowed,Set-Contact
PSComputerName : servername.domain

I tried to add Identity or define it in my CSV but it seems I cannot get it right

Does someone have a recommendation or how I can fix the problem?

Stefanos Constantinou 61

after AndyDavid's answer, I have corrected my code and used the following:

Import-Csv C:\Stefanos\MyCSV.csv | %{New-MailContact -Name $_.Alias -FirstName $_.FirstName -LastName $_.LastName -Alias $_.Alias -ExternalEmailAddress $_.Email -OrganizationalUnit $_.OUpath}

$Contacts = Import-Csv C:\Stefanos\MyCSV.csv
$Contacts | ForEach {Set-Contact $_.Alias -DisplayName $_.DisplayName -Phone $_.Phone -MobilePhone $_.MobilePhone -Pager $_.Pager -HomePhone $_.HomePhone -Company $_.Company -Title $_.Title -OtherTelephone $_.OtherTelephone -Department $_.Department}

The problem was that the CSV was set as $ContactsInfo when importing and then calling it as $Contacts

I have also removed the Name and used Alias unique identifier which is included within my CSV

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Stefanos Constantinou 61 Reputation points

2021-01-03T20:30:56.6+00:00

after AndyDavid's answer, I have corrected my code and used the following:

Import-Csv C:\Stefanos\MyCSV.csv | %{New-MailContact -Name $_.Alias -FirstName $_.FirstName -LastName $_.LastName -Alias $_.Alias -ExternalEmailAddress $_.Email -OrganizationalUnit $_.OUpath} $Contacts = Import-Csv C:\Stefanos\MyCSV.csv $Contacts | ForEach {Set-Contact $_.Alias -DisplayName $_.DisplayName -Phone $_.Phone -MobilePhone $_.MobilePhone -Pager $_.Pager -HomePhone $_.HomePhone -Company $_.Company -Title $_.Title -OtherTelephone $_.OtherTelephone -Department $_.Department}

The problem was that the CSV was set as $ContactsInfo when importing and then calling it as $Contacts

I have also removed the Name and used Alias unique identifier which is included within my CSV

Answer 1

Andy David - MVP 157.4K MVP Volunteer Moderator

Well, first you set the csv to $contactinfo
$ContactInfo = Import-Csv C:\Stefanos\DummyCSMCYGAL4CSMITA.csv

then you have it set to:

$contacts

The Identity parameter specifies the contact that you want to modify. You can use any value that uniquely identifies the contact. Use that in your csv instead..
For example:

Set-contact -Identity <Name> etc etc...

Name
Distinguished name (DN)
Canonical DN
GUID
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-contact?view=exchange-ps

Or use set-mailcontact

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-mailcontact?view=exchange-ps

Stefanos Constantinou 61 Reputation points

2021-01-03T20:07:23.373+00:00

Jeez.. do I feel bad now... :D

Corrected and it works. thanks a lot for indicating my negligence.

I'll correct the initial post too.

do you know how can I edit the second part to update and not show any errors in case it already exists?
Andy David - MVP 157.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2021-01-03T20:17:31.867+00:00

You mean , have the script continue if it encounters errors?
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_commonparameters?view=powershell-7.1#erroraction

If you choose

-ErrorAction:Ignore suppresses the error message and continues executing the command. Unlike SilentlyContinue, Ignore doesn't add the error message to the $Error automatic variable.
Stefanos Constantinou 61 Reputation points

2021-01-03T20:31:11.487+00:00

thank you,

it does continue but to the next contact, I means if the contact exists to keep and overwrite the attributes.

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Exchange Import Contacts from CSV and Add / Modify information

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